Throughout the United States of America, IndyCar has been one of the most popular forms of racing since being introduced back in 1994. Over the series’ 26-year history, the sport has produced some world-renowned names, including A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti. However, in recent years, racers local to Santa Clarita have burst onto the scene in showcasing the city’s racing pedigree. So, let’s take a look at Colton Herta and consider how successful he can be in IndyCar.
Enjoying Early Career Success
Upon making his karting debut at the age of ten back in 2010, Herta has gone on to write his name into the IndyCar history books. Following his rise to prominence in the world of karting and the MSA Formula series, the 20-year-old joined the Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport team in 2017. Crucially, it was this combination of car performance and driver ability that saw Herta become the youngest race winner in IndyCar history when he won at the Circuit of the Americas in March 2019.
Since then, the Santa Clarita-born driver has raised his profile within the racing world. During the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series, Herta went on to claim a second victory, in addition to three pole positions. Moreover, in this year’s competition, although he is yet to win in six races, the 20-year-old has achieved three top-five finishes, according to his profile at the official IndyCar website.
Optimism for the Future
After his steady start to the 2020 IndyCar season, Herta will have no doubt set his sights on the upcoming Indianapolis 500. Unlike other drivers, the record-breaker will go into the event with some expectations on his shoulders. Interestingly, this is because his dad, Bryan Herta, won the 2011 and 2016 races with his team, Bryan Herta Autosport.
However, despite this, the 20-year-old will once again hope to defy expectations during the 104th running of the race. At present, Herta isn’t the favorite to win the event. That said, he is currently priced at 12/1 with Space Casino to win the Indianapolis 500 in 2020, as of July 30th. Fundamentally, this is a testament to his abilities that he’s among the favorites even though he’s one of the younger drivers on the grid.
Regardless of the outcome, Herta and his team will be optimistic about what the future holds together. In order to sustain his early success, the American believes that his tidy driving style will prove fruitful in upcoming events. From looking at his record, there can be no doubts that Herta has the pace to claim sought-after honors, which will undoubtedly serve him well throughout the remainder of his IndyCar career.
Taking Santa Clarita’s Racing Pedigree to the Masses
Throughout the last four years Herta has done more than merely showcasing his racing abilities to the world. Importantly, the 20-year-old’s emergence has shown that Santa Clarita has the talent to compete at the top level in globally-watched sports. Although he is the first to break through into the mainstream, he’ll likely be the catalyst for a new generation of open-wheel racers.
